


Long Way Home

by Stratagem



Series: Wings AU [1]
Category: The Gifted (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, Wings AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-23 16:22:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16162508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Stratagem/pseuds/Stratagem
Summary: Clarice and Alison are late coming home, and John and James are worried. John handles it better than James.Plus they all have wings because wings are cool.





	Long Way Home

**Author's Note:**

> Request: Either Proudstar (or both) giving wing hugs. Because who needs words when you can just wrap someone up in your wings?
> 
> Wings AU!!! :D I might turn this into a long fic…

James’ pacing was starting to get on John’s nerves. His brother was walking on top of the railing line of the cabin’s wraparound, going from one corner to the other and back again. Any time his near-perfect balance started to waver, his wings would unfold until he was steady again. Even if the pacing was doing something to distract James, it was making John antsier than he already was. He shifted on the bench near the door, his own wings rustling.

“Can you get down from there.”

James shot him a glare and kept going. He was going to get splinters. John narrowed his eyes as James rounded the corner, bare feet stepping on the old rough wood. They needed to replace the railing. The whole porch needed to be redone, but it was low down on the list of things they needed to fix at the safehouse.

Long, quiet moments passed. A breeze drifted through the trees, brushing through the red and orange leaves that autumn had brought to their mountain.

“What time is it?” James demanded.

John glanced at his silent phone. “It’s only been ten minutes since the last time I checked.”

“Try calling them again.”

“Calling might be the wrong thing to do,” John countered, trying to crush down his own growing anxiety and stay calm. “If they forgot to put their phone on silent and they’re hiding—”

James jumped down from the railing, his wings unfurling and then settling back into place as he stomped toward John. “Give it to me, I’ll do it.”

John slid the phone back into his pocket. He had just explained exactly why they shouldn’t call. It could potentially put Clarice and Ali in danger, if they weren’t already. John would rather believe they had taken the long way home and forgotten to call.

James’ face contorted. “I’ll get mine, then.” He turned to go into the house, but John’s hand darted out and snagged his arm.

“I’m worried, too,” John said, “But I think we should trust them.”

“They missed the check-in,” James said. He jerked his arm out of John’s grasp. “That means we go after them.”

Clarice and Ali had left that morning on a supply run to the local town. There was a church there that helped their group by giving them food and medical supplies, and the two of them had volunteered for the run. They had taken off with a couple backpacks between them and promises to call around twelve that afternoon.

They hadn’t.

“They’re only fifteen minutes late,” John countered, “We’re supposed to wait thirty before we go after them. We all agreed on that.”

James’ wings flared out, forcing John to take a step back if he didn’t want to be whacked by russet-and-black feathers. “I’m un-agreeing.”

“That’s—” John shook his head, deciding not to correct his brother seeing how it was probably intentional, knowing James. “Just give them a little longer, okay?”

James looked like he was about to turn around and launch himself off the porch, maybe tackling John in the process. Instead, he stepped out of John’s reach and shoved his hands back through his hair, closing his eyes. He hated not acting even more than John, and his level of patience wouldn’t hold for long.

Finally, he jerked a nod and stomped back over to a corner of the porch where he climbed back onto the railing. He sat down on the corner, his wings coming up the wrap around his own shoulders as he scanned the sky for any sign of Ali and Clarice.

John sighed. He understood how James was feeling, but he also knew how Clarice and Ali would feel if they came after them too early. The time limit was there to keep people safe, even if he didn’t like it now that Clarice was the one out there…

He ran his hand over his face and walked over to the railing. Grabbing the worn wood, he looked up as well. It was a grey afternoon, the threat of rain hanging over them. Out in the valley, it was raining already. It was possible they had gotten caught in the storm and had to take shelter.

Ten more minutes past by at a crawl. James began to dig his fingers into the wood, almost making it crack under the pressure of his grip. Deep breaths kept John steady. He couldn’t lose his head.  

He was about to suggest leaving when he heard something down below, in the forest. A flash of grey, then a bit of blue. A tired laugh bubbled out from the fiery leaves, one that he recognized. In a moment, he stepped up on the bench then the railing and then dropped down to the ground, his enormous wings slowing his fall. He was almost at the edge of the forest when Clarice stepped out from the trees, looking muddy and exhausted but unharmed. Ali appeared behind her, blond and pink hair escaping from the beanie she was wearing, smudges of dirt on her face.

“Hey, handsome,” Clarice said, a half-smile on her face, “We had a bit of a detour.”

“No, really,” John said, reaching for her. They were both forced to duck, however, when James came soaring over them, landing directly in front of Ali. He practically barreled into the blonde, wrapping his arms around her and enveloping her in his wings. It was impossible to see her, hidden by James’ wings, his chin resting on top of her head.

“We weren’t that late, were we?” Clarice asked, glancing at John.

“Well, someone wanted to track you down the moment you didn’t call,” John said. He finally caught Clarice by the arm, his hand sliding down to catch hers. He drew her to him and rested his hands on her waist.

“And you want me to believe that someone wasn’t you?” Clarice smirked.

John brought his wings up, surrounding her and closing out the rest of the world. He grinned back at her. “Maybe. But I’m not the one who voiced it. So technically, no, it wasn’t me.” He drew her closer and tightened the circle of his wings, covering her striking grey, black, and white wings with his own golden and cream pair.

“Uh-huh, sure,” Clarice teased. She reached out and brushed her hand along his cheek. “I’m sorry we freaked you out. There was a drone, and this one was weaponized. Fun, right? We thought it’d be safer to hike back and then we forgot to call.”

John frowned and narrowed his eyes as he looked her over for injuries again. “Did you—”

She shook her head and touched his chin, making him raise his head. “I didn’t get shot and neither did Ali. But it’s something we’re going to need to be aware of, in the future.”

Yet another thing to worry about. He’d add it to the list. Leaning down, he brushed a kiss against her temple. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

Clarice smiled. “I’ve got something that will make you even happier.” He dropped his wings as she unlocked the backpack from her back and lowered it to the ground. She fished around in it for a minute and then brought out a package that made John laugh.

“Only you,” he said, reaching out to take the coveted bag of Doritos from her. His favorite, Cool Ranch. “Yeah, this is way better than you not getting shot.” 

“See, I told you.”

He dropped the Doritos so he could grab her and pull her in for a proper ‘welcome home’ kiss.


End file.
